2008 MLB Baseball Season Preview
Baseball's Best Year is Somehere Just Over the Rainbow
The last year of Yankee Stadium. The year Junior hits number 600. The year Maddux will pass Clemens, and Big Unit could reach 300. '08 will be another historic season.
With the new baseball season rapidly approaching, it's time to take a quick look at some of the major attractions, potentially big stories and the major milestones that will be passed at some point in the next six or seven months. Here is a preview of what to look for this year.
New York Stadia To Close
Yankee Stadium. Since it opened in 1923, Yankee Stadium has been the home, the palace, and some would even say the great cathedral of baseball. But 2008 will be the last season in which the Yankees play in The House That Ruth Built, because in 2009, the Bombers will move across the street to the New Yankee Stadium. The place looks state of the art, and it's probably got every luxury imaginable, but it will be a very long time before anyone confuses it with the real Yankee Stadium.
So if you've never watched a game in the original, then you better get your ass to New York to watch a game in the House that Ruth Built. Otherwise, can you really call yourself a fan?
Shea Stadium. Home to the 1969 Miracle Mets, the 1973 "you gotta believe" pennant winners and the 1986 team that won 108 games and beat the Boston Red Sox in the World Series, the Mets' home field never got enough respect. Playing second fiddle to the Yankees in an newer, blander ballpark made it tough. The new stadium might be a welcome change for the Metropolitans.
Ken Griffey Will Hit Home Run Number 600
As much as you may have already heard about it, Ken Griffey's story must be told again. This guy was the best all-around player in baseball for the entire 1990s. By the time the 2000 season ended, Griffey was 30 years old, and he'd already smacked 438 home runs. He seemed destined to shatter Hank Aaron's all-time mark. But fate intervened and Griffey suffered season-ending injuries every season between 2001 and 2004, which caused him to miss 330 games during the heart of his prime.
Because Griffey had been averaging 45-50 home runs for almost a decade, it's conceivable that he lost at least 90 home runs to those injuries. Add those ninety homers to his current total of 593, and Griffey might still have a good shot at Bonds's current mark of 762.
But the injuries did happen, and now Ken Griffey is approaching a lesser, but still legendary, milestone: 600 home runs. With just seven more to go, and with his recent history of hot starts, Griffey should become the sixth member of the 600 club some time in May.
Rennaissance of Starting Pitchers
This may be the best crop of young starters to come along in twenty-five years. It will be interesting to follow the development of the following pictures, the oldest of whom is 25: Justin Verlander, Cole Hamels, Phil Hughes, Fausto Carmona, Joba Chamberlain, Scott Kazmir, Francisco Liriano, Jon Lester, Ian Kennedy, Felix Hernandez, and Kyle Kendrick.
Not to mention the excellent crop of young relievers out there. Pitching is getting better. The veterans are staying productive longer, and the current youngsters all seem to be mature beyond their years. Maybe we are in for a pitcher resurgence.
The Young Teams. The Arizona Diamondbacks, Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Brewers. Will one of these young, talented teams break though and win it all in 2008?
Johan Santana. Look out, because this guy could put the Mets in their first World Series in almost a decade. He'd better -- the Mets just signed him to a contract worth close to $140 million.
So much more will be happening. Joe Torre is in Los Angeles. So is Andruw Jones. That will be a team to watch. The Red Sox will be going for a dynasty, and if they can win it all this year, they will have a good argument that the 2004-2008 run was a legitimate dynasty.
Don't forget Manny Ramirez and Gary Sheffield , both of whom are poised to pass the 500 home run mark this year. Greg Maddux should also blow past 350 wins, and should finish the year with more victories than Roger Clemens.
Pedro Martinez is back and seems to be healthy. Francisco Liriano is also due to return after sitting out fo 18 months recovering from Tommy John surgery. Bonds seems unwanted, but you knever know what's gonna happen with that guy.
There is so, so much more to anticipate this year. So much. It's going to be one hell of a baseball season.
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2008 New York Yankees Season Preview
